After a tough election and a short time to prepare, Phoenix's
new mayor, Greg Stanton, will officially take office on Jan.
3.

The inauguration will take place Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. at
Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St. in Phoenix. Stanton will take his
oath of office and then conduct the oath of office for the
re-elected council members, Thelda Williams, Bill Gates and Michael
Nowakowski, as well as newly-elected councilman Daniel
Valenzuela.

Stanton did not want to reveal too much of what he plans to
announce during his inaugural speech, but he said Phoenix residents
could expect him to keep focus on the issues he brought up during
his campaign.

"You're going to see a renewed commitment to sustainability and
making sure the city is a leader in sustainability," Stanton said.
"Not just environmental sustainability, economic sustainability,
social sustainability in terms of fighting homelessness ... and
education sustainability. We're going to take this whole idea of
community. It's not just environmental sustainability, although
that is important. We want to make sure it permeates every decision
we make within the city."

Stanton also promised to have a relentless focus on Phoenix's
economy and making sure it can withstand some economic hardships
better than it has.

As for his first few days in office, Stanton said he doesn't expect
to spend much time inside Phoenix City Hall.

"I'll be visiting a lot of places in the city of Phoenix that
represent my priorities including education, working with the
diverse communities of the city, human services and non-profits and
talking to them," Stanton said. "I'm not going to spend my first
few days inside City Hall, I'm going to spend it outside City Hall
or out in the community where I should be."

Parking for the inauguration is available at the Wells Fargo Bank
Plaza or the Renaissance Garage, Phoenix City Hall Garage off
Fourth Avenue or Jefferson Street, or First American Title surface
lot on the north side of Monroe Street between Second and Third
avenues. For more information on the ceremony call Joey Casto at
(602) 256-3186.